Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay will look to put off-field drama and a disappointing defeat last week to one side when they host Ecuador in Montevideo on Tuesday.

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After a fantastic start to qualifying at the end of 2023 which saw Uruguay beat both Brazil and Argentina, they looked as though they were cruising towards a fifth straight World Cup.

However, their form since elimination in the Copa America semi-finals over the summer has been slightly concerning, with some key players missing due to suspension after the melee which ensued after the defeat to Colombia.

A huge slip-up on Friday saw Bielsa's men lose in Peru, handing the Blanquirroja their first win in the section, as La Celeste's defence was breached for the first time in almost 10 hours of qualifying action.

Two 0-0 draws in September's fixtures means Uruguay are still without a goal since that Copa exit, and even though they are still in a comfortable position in third, they now have just a four-point buffer between themselves and the playoff place.

The off-field drama which broke when Luis Suarez accused Bielsa of creating a toxic atmosphere in the Uruguay camp may not have helped, as they suffered a sixth straight game without a win in 90 minutes in Lima.

Uruguay have never lost an international at home to Ecuador though, and they have only dropped points on three occasions when facing off in qualifying, but the visitors have proven to be awkward customers of late.

Sebastian Beccacece's men kept another clean sheet in drawing 0-0 with Paraguay last week - their fifth in six qualifiers - as they continue to pick up points at a steady pace.

As one of the biggest overachievers so far, Ecuador have not let a three-point deduction dictate their campaign, because without it, they would be above Brazil and level on points with their upcoming opponents.

Only Argentina and Brazil have got the better of La Tri in the campaign so far, but in what is a devilishly close section, the points deduction means Ecuador are still under threat from those behind them.

Venezuela and Paraguay kept in touch on matchday nine, and Bolivia's win saw them close the gap, as just three points separate fourth from eighth in CONMEBOL at the halfway stage.

Having reached four of the last six World Cups though, including the last edition in Qatar, Ecuador are well-versed at navigating South American qualifying, and with two additional spots now available, they should still be among the most-fancied sides to make the 2026 finals.

Uruguay possible starting lineup:

Rochet; Varela, Gimenez, Bueno, Olivera; Ugarte, Valverde, De Arrascaeta; Pellistri, Nunez, M Araujo

Ecuador possible starting lineup:

Galindez; Torres, Pacho, Hincapie; Preciado, Franco, Caicedo, Estupinan; Plata, Valencia, Paez